Retention issues can be so disheartening as a lash artist! All of your hard work and precious time… then the lashes just pop off!! What is happening?! Behind the scenes… there are many things that could be causing this! We will go through the essential steps of lashing the perfect set, and then talk about some other obstacles that may be causing this nasty issue.
Step 1: CLEANSE
Whether or not your client has makeup on, it is always good to cleanse their lashes first. This will rid them of any dirt, buildup, oils, or other materials that make it difficult for the lash extension to stick. Clean lashes are the best lashes!
Step 2: PRIME
Prime, prime, PRIME! This strips the eyelid, and eyelashes of any impurities. Cleansing and priming will assure that there are no oils or other contaminants on the eye.
Step 3: LET IT DRY
This is extremely important! Many artists begin to place the lash extensions right after priming without letting the natural lashes dry first. This will definitely cause retention issues. Be patient and let the lashes dry. Another alternative is to use an air pump blower to quicken the process.
Step 4: ADHESIVE USE
Don’t use too much adhesive. This can cause damage to the natural lashes, but using too little adhesive will make it so the lash extensions pop right off. It’s definitely a balance, and it needs to be just right!
Step 5: SEALANT
After placing all the lashes and creating the perfect set… use a sealant! Our Intelliseal is perfect for the job. It is formulated to help cure the eyelash extension adhesive while simultaneously nourishing natural lashes and increasing the life of the adhesive bond.
Step 6: NEBULIZER
Bella’s nebulizer provides the perfect amount of moisture to cure eyelash extension adhesive. It features an ultra fine mist that keeps YOU in control. It initiates the polymerization process without blanching the lashes with too much water. It also soothes your clients eyes after a long appointment. What’s better than that?!
Soooooo…. What if you’re doing all of these steps to completing the lash set, and you are STILL having retention problems?! Here are a few other factors that could be causing this.
One. TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
First and foremost… make sure the temperature and humidity in your lashing room are equal to what the adhesive requires. This will keep the adhesive at a constant temperature so it doesn’t get funky. The perfect temperature for our adhesives is 64-77 degrees F. The perfect humidity would be somewhere between 40-60%!
Two. STORE ADHESIVE CORRECTLY
Before our adhesive is opened, it should be kept in the door of a refrigerator or in a dark sealed container. Once it has been opened, we don’t suggest that it should be stored in the fridge because every refrigerator is set to a different temperature, and if it’s too extreme, it will ruin the consistency of the adhesive. We suggest that you keep it in a sealed container somewhere dark.
Three. AFTERCARE
Are your clients utilizing aftercare? I know that some people think that brushing and washing their lashes makes them fall out quicker, but it DOESN’T. It keeps them clean, which improves their retention life! Make sure your clients are taking care of their lashes after they leave your space.
Four. SLEEP
If the retention is struggling only on one eye, this is usually the culprit. Personally, I lose my lashes on my right eye quicker than my left because I sleep on my right side (mostly). Tell your clients to sleep on their back if possible.
Five. BAD ADHESIVE
It could be your adhesive! Sometimes adhesives can be ruined due to extreme temperatures in the shipping process. Or it could be that yours has just been opened for too long and needs to be replaced. Refreshing your adhesive drop every 30 minutes or so is also vital to keeping the adhesive working properly.
Six. CURING TOO QUICKLY
This could be the issue for a lot of newbies. It could be that you are using an adhesive that cures quicker than you are able to lash. If this is the case, use a slower drying adhesive to help with your learning curve!
Seven. HAIR FALL
This one isn’t extremely likely, but I have seen in before. If your client has a dramatic part and most of their hair falls on one side of their face, it could be putting weight on those lashes and making them fall out quicker than normal.
These are a few of the reasons why your clients could be suffering from early fallout. Do you have any other issues that have been causing your clients retention to be off? Leave a comment below!!
XOXO, Bella
Can to DYE in the rainbow colored lashes
cause irritation?
I’ve used the lash sealant and each time I use it on clients it dries white, making the lashes look like they’re covered in chalk. How do I fix this? It’s now happened on two clients and I don’t want to keep using it if there’s an issue.
Hi Bella! I have a question based on reading this. I was under the impression that I was always supposed to store the adhesive in the fridge, even after it was opened. I got a new 5ML Platinum + Adhesive 8/30 that I’ve been storing inside the ziplock bag that it comes in in the fridge. It’s open since I’ve used it about 10 times already. I will no longer store it in the fridge, but will this affect the effectiveness of it? Thanks!